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24 May 2005 : Column 71W—continued
Nepal
Clare Short:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will make immediate funding available for the human rights monitoring commission referred to in the Memorandum
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of Understanding between the Government of Nepal and the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights to start work. [833]
Dr. Howells: The UK attaches great importance to improving the human rights situation in Nepal. Our expenditure plan for the Financial Year 2005–06 includes an allocation of approximately £80,000 for the support of various human rights groups in Nepal and £75,000 on human rights training support. We were closely involved in efforts to secure Nepalese agreement to international human rights monitoring in Nepal under the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). We are keen in principle to offer financial support to the OHCHR office and are currently exploring suitable sources of funding.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Sudan on behalf of Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam. [133]
Ian Pearson: Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, a prominent Sudanese human rights activist, was detained in Khartoum on 8 May along with two colleagues, Mr. Yasir Saleem and Mr. Abdallah Taha. Mr. Abdallah was released without charge on 11 May. Dr. Mudawi and Mr. Yasir were subsequently charged under articles 53 (Espionage against the Country) and 57 (Entering and Photographing Military Areas and Works). Mr. Yasir was released unharmed on 12 May. Dr. Mudawi was released unharmed on 17 May.
Our embassy in Khartoum raised this case with the acting Foreign Minister on 10 May and on 14 May. We also supported representations made by the local EU presidency on this matter.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate how many deaths have occurred in Darfur in the last 18 months. [134]
Ian Pearson: Estimates of deaths in Darfur since the crisis began vary from 70,000 to 300,000 and above. Accurate figures are not available and better data are needed. The UK is funding the World Health Organisation to conduct a new mortality survey, and preliminary results are expected by mid-June. This will only give a snapshot of the situation; we have to accept that, given the complexities on the ground, we are unlikely ever to get a full picture of deaths from this conflict.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan about the aerial bombardment of parts of Darfur. [135]
Ian Pearson:
We have made regular representations to the Government of Sudan regarding aerial bombardment in Darfur. In early February the Government of Sudan announced that they would remove their Antonov aircraft from Darfur and refrain from hostile use of aircraft there. Both my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) pressed the Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs on this issue
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when they met on 10 February, and received the same assurances. The Antonovs appear to have been withdrawn. Although helicopter gunships remain in Darfur, the UN Secretary General has concluded in his monthly reports that there has been no further hostile use of aircraft since January.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he will make available to the International Criminal Court investigation into Darfur. [136]
Dr. Howells: At the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC), we currently share background material to help the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) become better attuned to the political situation in the region.
We are also negotiating with the OTP an agreement to allow the provision of any material that may be useful to investigative work.
The UK is fully committed to supporting the ICC and is engaged in dialogue with the Court at official level to consider ways of providing effective practical support.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to encourage the Sudanese Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement to attend peace talks about Darfur. [137]
Ian Pearson: We are in regular contact with both the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM—the political arm of the Sudanese Liberation Army) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and have consistently encouraged them to return to peace talks about Darfur. The SLM and JEM have now announced that they will attend a new round of peace talks with the Government. A recent regional Heads of State meeting on Darfur, held in Libya on 16–17 May, announced that the talks would restart in Abuja by the end of May. A UK representative will attend the talks and offer support to the African Union mediators.
Western Sahara
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the UN on the replacement of the current head of MINURSO in the Western Sahara. [141]
Dr. Howells: The appointment of a successor for Alvaro de Soto, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Western Sahara, is a matter for the Secretary-General alone. He has our full support in the nomination process.
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to change travel advice relating to Yemen. [576]
Dr. Howells:
We have no immediate plans to change the travel advice for Yemen. However, the advice, available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk, is kept under constant review.
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It is checked routinely and following any significant incident and, at a minimum, is revised and re-issued at least once every three months.
Zimbabwe
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to promote democracy in Zimbabwe. [310]
Ian Pearson: Our aim remains the early restoration of democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law to Zimbabwe.
We have worked with the international community to that end, isolating Mugabe and imposing sanctions, and will continue to support all those in Zimbabwe working for peaceful democratic change.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Border Inspection Posts
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the deletion of South Shields from designated border inspection posts under Commission Decision 2005/102/EC of OJ L33 of 5 February. [500]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
There was no border inspection post (BIP) at South Shields.
There was a BIP at North Shields (listed as Tyne-Northshields) which was removed from the list of approved BIPs by Commission Decision 2005/102/EC. Defra suspended the operation of the BIP at North Shields on 26 June 2003 as it did not comply with the requirements to operate under EU law. The operators elected not to invest further to bring it up to the required standard.
Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to (a) Mr. Hassan Nadir Rashid, dated 4 April and (b) Mr. H. Riaz, dated 7 April. [187]
Mr. Clarke: The information is as follows:
Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letters sent on 17 December 2004 and 20 January 2005 concerning Mr. Salamat Khan, Home Office reference S774861/4. [883]
Mr. McNulty: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 23 May.
Hashem Adbul-Aziz Barwari
Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Hashem Abdul-Aziz Barwari, reference B11 02376, will receive his clearance papers. [161]
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Mr. McNulty: Mr. Barwari's application for further leave to remain has not yet been dealt with. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate will write to his representatives in due course to ask if he wishes to attend an interview or whether he wishes his application considered on the information already available.
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